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Stop CETA and Co. – For a fair global trade policy

Invitation to border action with tractors on 25 January in Lichtenbusch at the German/Belgian border

Border demonstration with tractors at the German/Belgian border Stop CETA and Co. – For a fair global trade policy

WHEN: Friday 25 January 2019, starting 12am

WHERE: The demonstration takes place on the bridge of the Hebscheider Heide road over the A3/E40 border motorway, near Lichtenbusch.

Only a few days to go until farmers from Germany and Belgium will be arriving with their tractors and producers from France, the Netherlands and Luxembourg will join them at the demonstration. Their aim: to take a strong farming stance AGAINST trade agreements like CETA and Co., which give more power to corporate groups and weaken and undermine the concerns of farmers, consumers and workers, also in other countries of the world. In addition to farmers, civil society players are also arriving to support the tractor drivers. Together we intend to stand up FOR a fair global trade policy and FOR a Europe of solidarity that focuses on social justice worldwide, and on climate and environmental protection.

Programme:In a media-effective action we will bury the trade agreements like CETA and Co. Afterwards, representatives of farmers' organisations from various EU Member States sign a European farmers' declaration. Among the speakers at the rally will be Georg Janßen, Managing Director of the farmers' association Arbeitsgemeinschaft bäuerliche Landwirtschaft (AbL, Germany), Erwin Schöpges, dairy farmer and President of the European Milk Board (EMB), Christian Wiertz, dairy farmer and Vice-president of the farmers' association Milcherzeuger Interessengemeinschaft (MIG, Belgium), Claude Girod, farmer and member of the Confédération Paysanne (France).

The reason for this demonstration is the proceedings before the European Court of Justice (ECJ) on the trade agreement between the EU and Canada (CETA), in which the courts of arbitration planned in the agreement are being scrutinised. The Advocate General is making a statement on these proceedings on 29 January. The trade agreement between the EU and Japan comes into force at the beginning of February, and the EU is negotiating other free trade agreements with many countries around the globe.

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